Means for mounting self-aligning bearing

ABSTRACT

There is disclosed herein a spherical type bearing seated at one end on a fixed seat and at the other end on a free-floating seat, the free-floating seat having resilient, radially projecting legs, and there being means to tension the legs to bias the last mentioned seat against the bearing.

UnitedStates Patent Coleman 1 Mar. 14, 1972 [54] MEANS FOR MOUNTINGSELF- 3,317,256 /1967 Ernest ..308/72 ALIGNING BEARING 3,483,888 12/1969Wurzel ..308/72 [72] Inventor: Howard R. Coleman, Elyria, Ohio FOREIGNPATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1 1 Assigneer a General Industries Company,Elyria, 463,551 7/1928 Germany ..267/161 [22] Filed; Jam 19, 9 0 PrimaryExaminerMartin P. Schwadron Assistant Examiner-Ronald l-l. Lazarus Appl'31874 Attorney-J. H. Slough 52 us. 131 ..308/72, 267/161 BS [51] lnt.Cl...F16c23/00 There is disclosed herein a s phencal type bearing seated at[58] Field of Search ..308/72, 29, 140, 194, 267/161 one end on a fixedseat and at the other end on a freefloaling seat, the free-floating seathaving resilient, radially projecting [56] References cued legs, andthere being means to tension the legs to bias the last UNITED STATESPATENTS mentioned seat against the bearing. 1,925,671 9/1933 Mansfield..267/ 161 6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures /0 /4 J3 J4 J5 J6 J? 24 6 5 T 1 Q5 6 i I 4 F, 1; l

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 J4 INVENTOR. F 3 Ho ware R o/em an BY W J. H. :fi/GHr ATTORNEY Patented March 14, 1972 3,649,092

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig;

INVENTOR.

Howdr'o (o/em an d. H. LOUGH ATTORN Y MEANS FOR MOUNTING SELF-ALIGNINGBEARING This invention relates to means for mounting a self-aligningbearing and to a spring member for seating one end of the bearing.

In the embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, a spherical typeself-aligning bearing particularly adapted for use in a fractionalhorsepower electric motor is retained within a hollow bearing bracket bymeans of a spring having an annular seat for receiving spherical surfaceportions at one end of the bearing, the spring including radiallyprojecting, resilient legs adapted to be flexed inwardly of the brackettoward the opposite end of the bearing whereby the annular seat of thespring is constantly biased against the bearing. Means for maintainingpressure on the legs is provided by a retainer plate which overlies thespring and has an inwardly projecting annular boss which presses onouter end portions of the legs.

The general object of this invention is to provide an improved means formounting a self-aligning bearing wherein the bearing is resiliently heldbetween suitable seating means and is free to adj ustably align with amotor shaft.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide mounting means for aself-aligning bearing including a fixed seating means for one end ofsaid bearing and a resilient seating means which floats freely at theother end of said bearing.

Another object of this invention is to provide a spring seating meansfor the bearing including an annular seat and means disposed outwardlyof the seat for biasing the seat against the bearing.

Still another object of this invention is to provide spring seatingmeans as set forth above which is integrally formed of resilient sheetmaterial such as sheet metal.

Another object of this invention is to provide a bearing mountingstructure including spring seating means as set forth above disposedwithin a bearing bracket and having a cover means adapted to hold thespring seating means under tension when the structure is assembled.

A still further object of the invention is to provide mounting means fora self-aligning bearing which is simple and economic to manufacture,composed of but few parts, and is highly efficient and durable in use.

Other objects of the invention and the invention itself will be readilyunderstood from the following description thereof and the accompanyingdrawings, in which said drawings:

FIG. l is a top plane view of an electric motor embodying the bearingmounting means of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side plan view of the motor of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a section taken along the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a bearing mounting spring as seen from theline 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a retainer plate as seen from the line 6-6of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 7 is an exploded view partly in section and partly in sideelevation of the components of the bearing mounting means.

Referring now to the drawings in all of which like parts are designatedby like reference numerals, the means for mounting a self-aligningbearing is embodied in a small electric motor, but it is anticipatedthat the same need not be limited to such use.

In the embodiment as herein disclosed, an electric motor 10 comprises alaminated stator 11, a rotor 12 mounted to a rotor shaft 13, and a pairof rectangular bearing brackets 14 and 15 disposed at the upper andlower ends, respectively, of the motor as viewed in FIG. 3. The stator11 has a pair of laterally projecting arms 16 connected at their distalends by a core assembly l7 surrounded by a field including coil 18. Thebearing brackets 14 and 15 are provided with laterally projectingmounting portions 20 and 21, respectively, disposed on either side ofthe laminated stator 11. Bolt and nut assemblies 22 project throughsuitably aligned openings in the stator and bracket mounting portions toform a housing for the rotor l2.

The bearing brackets 14 and I5 are substantially identical, each havinga rectangular outer wall 23 and inwardly projecting side walls 24 whichtogether define a rectangular inner cavity 25. The outer wall 23 has acentrally disposed, outwardly projecting, frustoconical neck 26terminating in an outwardly projecting collar 27. The side walls 24 areprovided with an inner shoulder 28 spaced inwardly from the outer wall23 and providing a seat for a rigidly fixed retainer plate 29 having afrustoconical central neck 30 affording an opening 31 therethrough. Theneck 30 projects in the opposite direction with respect to the neck 26,and the rotor shaft I3 projects through the openings 31 and into thecollars 27, the upper end of said shaft projecting outwardly beyond theadjacent collar on the upper bearing bracket I4 and the lower end ofsaid shaft seating on a thrust button 32 mounted within the collar 27 ofthe lower bearing bracket 15.

The shaft 13 is supported at either end by a spherical type bearing 33having a central bore 34 adapted to rotatably receive said shaft. Eachbearing 33 is seated at its outer end against an annular seat 35integrally formed in the outer wall 23 adjacent to its juncture with theneck 26. The inner end of each bearing engages a bearing retainer spring36 having an annular, protuberant seat 37 of generally semicircularcross section in a radial direction, for receiving the end of thebearing. A rectangular, oil-permeable wick 38 made of felt or similarmaterial is seated within each cavity 25 between the outer wall 23 andthe bearing retainer spring 36. Each wick 38 has a central opening 39 ofcircular form whereby the wick closely surrounds the associated bearing33. It will be understood that the wick 38 is saturated with a suitablelubricating oil whereby the bearing is adequately and continuouslylubricated. The bearings 33 are preferably provided at each end with aplurality of radially disposed grooves 40 which extend laterally acrossthe end faces of the bearings and along spherical contacting portions ofthe bearings adjacent to the ends thereof to afford return flow channelsfor lubricant to flow from the shaft 13 back to the wick 38.

FIG. 5 shows a detail of the construction of the bearing retainer spring36. Said retainer is formed of relatively thingauge sheet metalcharacterized by an inherent resilience. In addition to the centrallydisposed annular seat 37 which is formed from the sheet metal, and whichsurrounds a central opening 50, said spring is provided with a pluralityof integral, circumferential evenly spaced, radially outwardlyprojecting legs 51. As herein disclosed, said legs 51 are preferablyfour in number and provide resilient projections extending outwardlyfrom tee annular seat 37.

As shown in FIG. 6, the retainer plate 29 is provided with an annularboss 60 which projects from said retainer plate in the directionopposite to that of the central neck 30. As best seen in FIG. 3, theradius of the annular boss 60 is slightly less than the radial dimensionof the legs 51 whereby said boss presses against said legs when theretainer plate 29 is seated on the shoulder 28. The retainer plate 29 isfixedly seated over the cavity 25 in any suitable manner, and as hereinillustrated, is wedged or drive fitted between extensions 24 of the sidewalls 24 which are, in effect, part of the mounting portions 20 and 21.

The bearing structure at either end of the rotor shaft 13 is assembledin the manner shown in FIG. 7 wherein a wick 30 is placed into thecavity 25, a bearing 33 is projected through the opening 39 and seatedagainst the annular seat 35, a spring 36 is positioned with its seat 37engaging the opposite end of said bearing, and the retainer plate 29 issuitably fixed in place whereby the annular boss 60 presses against thelegs 51 of the spring to bias the seat 37 resiliently into contact withthe bearing 33. Each bearing 33 is thus resiliently held in placebetween the seats 35 and 37. Both springs 36 and, therefore, the seats37, float freely within the cavities 25 whereby said bearings canreadily adjust to any slight changes in alignment of the shaft, saidseats 37 always remaining aligned with one end of said bearing, and saidbearings being free to pivot with respect to the fixed seat 35.

It will be understood that many changes in the details of the inventionas herein described and illustrated may be made without, however,departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

lclaim:

l. A self-aligning bearing assembly for adjustably aligning shaftswithin fractional horsepower motors, comprising a bearing bracket havinga seat adapted to receive one end of a spherical type bearing; aspherical type bearing having a central bore adapted to receive a motorshaft, one end of said bearing seated on the seat of said bracket; abearing retainer spring having a central opening, an annular seat aroundsaid opening engaging the opposite end of said bearing, and a pluralityof evenly spaced integral resilient legs extending radially outwardlyfrom the annular seat; and a retainer member disposed over said bearingretainer spring and having an annular boss pressing against a portion ofsaid resilient legs adjacent to the ends thereof whereby said annularseat is biased into contact with said opposite end of said bearing.

2. A self-aligning bearing assembly as set forth in claim 1: saidbearing retainer spring being integrally formed of spring sheet metal;said annular seat being of generally semicircular cross section in aradial direction whereby said annular seat protrudes from the plane ofsaid bearing retainer spring and engages spherical surface portionsadjacent to said opposite end of said bearing.

3. A self-aligning bearing assembly as set forth in claim 2: saidbearing retainer spring having at least four circumferentially evenlyspaced legs.

4. A self-aligning bearing assembly as set forth in claim 2:

said retainer member comprising a plate; said plate having an annularboss protruding from one side thereof into contact with outer endportions of said legs whereby said legs are tensioned to bias saidbearing.

5. A bearing retainer spring for seating one end of a spherical bearingwithin a fractional horsepower motor, said spring bearing integrallyformed of spring sheet metal; said spring comprising a central, annularseat for engaging spherical surface portions ofa bearing, said seatbeing of generally semicircular cross section in a radial directionwhereby said annular seat protrudes from the plane of said spring toengage the bearing; a plurality of evenly spaced radially outwardlyprojecting, flat, integral legs carried around the outer periphery ofsaid seat, said legs adapted to be flexed in an axial direction to biassaid annular seat into constant contact with the bearing.

6. In a self-aligning bearing assembly, means for retaining one end of aspherical type bearing comprising a bearing retainer spring integrallyformed of spring sheet metal; said spring comprising a central, annularseat for engaging surface portions of the bearing, said scat being ofgenerally semicircular cross section in a radial direction whereby saidannular seat protrudes from the plane of said spring to engage thebearing; a plurality of evenly spaced radially outwardly projecting,flat, integral legs carried around the outer periphery of said seat; afixed retainer plate disposed over said spring and having an annularboss protruding from one side thereof into contact with outer endportions of said legs whereby said legs are tensioned to bias saidannular seat against the bearing.

1. A self-aligning bearing assembly for adjustably aligning shaftswithin fractional horsepower motors, comprising a bearing bracket havinga seat adapted to receive one end of a spherical type bearing; aspherical type bearing having a central bore adapted to receive a motorshaft, one end of said bearing seated on the seat of said bracket; abearing retainer spring having a central opening, an annular seat aroundsaid opening engaging the opposite end of said bearing, and a pluralityof evenly spaced integral resilient legs extending radially outwardlyfrom the annular seat; and a retainer member disposed over said bearingretainer spring and having an annular boss pressing against a portion ofsaid resilient legs adjacent to the ends thereof whereby said annularseat is biased into contact with said opposite end of said bearing.
 2. Aself-aligning bearing assembly as set forth in claim 1: said bearingretainer spring being integrally formed of spring sheet metal; saidannular seat being of generally semicircular cross section in a radialdirection whereby said annular seat protrudes from the plane of saidbearing retainer spring and engages spherical surface portions adjacentto said opposite end of said bearing.
 3. A self-aligning bearingassembly as set forth in claim 2: said bearing retainer spring having atleast four circumferentially evenly spaced legs.
 4. A self-aligningbearing assembly as set forth in claim 2: said retainer membercomprising a plate; said plate having an annular boss protruding fromone side thereof into contact with outer end portions of said legswhereby said legs are tensioned to bias said bearing.
 5. A bearingretainer spring for seating one end of a spherical bearing within afractional horsepower motor, said spring being integrally formed ofspring sheet metal; said spring comprising a central, annular seat forengaging spherical surface portions of a bearing, said seat being ofgenerally semicircular cross section in a radial direction whereby saidannular seat protrudes from the plane of said spring to engage thebearing; a plurality of evenly spaced radially outwardly projecting,flat, integral legs carried around the outer periphery of said seat,said legs adapted to be flexed in an axial direction to bias saidannular seat into constant contact with the bearing.
 6. In aself-aligning bearing assembly, means for retaining one end of aspherical type bearing comprising a bearing retainer spring integrallyformed of spring sheet metal; said spring comprising a central, annularseat for engaging surface portions of the bearing, said seat Being ofgenerally semicircular cross section in a radial direction whereby saidannular seat protrudes from the plane of said spring to engage thebearing; a plurality of evenly spaced radially outwardly projecting,flat, integral legs carried around the outer periphery of said seat; afixed retainer plate disposed over said spring and having an annularboss protruding from one side thereof into contact with outer endportions of said legs whereby said legs are tensioned to bias saidannular seat against the bearing.